Automatic lighting device for salvage

ABSTRACT

A LIGHTING DEVICE COMPRISES A CASING HAVING OPENINGS AT THE LOWER END PORTION THEREOF, THROUGH THE OPENINGS OF WHICH WATER ENTERS INTO THE CASING AS THE LIGHTING DEVICE FLOATS ON THE WATER WHILE REVEALING THE TOP PORTION THEREOF ABOVE THE SURFACE OF WATER, A DIAPHRAGM WATERTIGHTLY FIXED WITHIN THE CASING SO AS TO BE PUSHED UP BY THE WATER ENTERED THEREIN, AND AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT INCLUDING A CONTACT ASSEMBLY FOR LIGHTING THE LIGHTING DEVICE TO   BE SWITCHED ON BY MEANS OF THE DIAPHRAGM PUSHED UP. AROUND THE UPPER PORTION OF THE CASING AND ABOVE THE SURFACE OF THE WATER, THERE IS PROVIDED A MATERIAL PERMEABLE BY GAS BUT IMPERVIOUS TO WATER TO SEPARATE A SEALED INNER CHAMBER FROM THE OUTER AIR, AND THEREBY BALANCING THE INNER AIR PRESSURE WITH THE OUTER AIR PRESSURE THROUGH THE MATERIAL.

Feb. 2, 1971 KUNIO SHIMIZU 3,559,224

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United States Patent AUTOMATIC LIGHTING DEVICE FOR SALVAGE KunioShimizu, 133-2 Asagaya-Minami, Suginami-ku,

Tokyo, Japan Filed Aug. 25, 1969, Ser. No. 852,762 Claims priority,application Japan, Sept. 3, 1968, 43/62,741 Int. Cl. B361) 45/00 US. Cl.98.3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A lighting device comprises acasing having openings at the lower end portion thereof, through theopenings of which water enters into the casing as the lighting devicefloats on the water while revealing the top portion thereof above thesurface of water, a diaphragm watertightly fixed within the casing so asto be pushed up by the water entered therein, and an electric circuitincluding a contact assembly for lighting the lighting device to beswitched on by means of the diaphragm pushed up. Around the upperportion of the casing and above the surface of the water, there isprovided a material permeable by gas but impervious to water to separatea sealed inner chamber from. the outer air, and thereby balancing theinner air pressure with the outer air pressure through the material.

This invention relates to an automatic lighting device and moreparticularly to an automatic lighting device for salvage used to showthe place of a sea disaster as the lighting device carried in anairplane, a ship or a yacht is automatically lighted by hydraulicpressure when thrown to the sea at the accidental sea disaster.

A conventional lighting device of this type comprises a swelled lens atthe top thereof, an elastic diaphragm fixed water-tightly to the insideof bottom openings of a casing, and a bulb lighting means including amovable and a fixed contact points and mounted into a sealed chamberformed between the diaphragm and the casing. When the diaphragm isdisplaced by inflow of sea water through the bottom openings of thecasing, the diaphragm pushes the movable contact point toward theopposite fixed contact point to come into contact with each other, sothat the bulb is lightened.

Whereas, such a structure increases an inner air pres sure of the sealedchamber by heat generated due to lighting of the bulb for a long period.In addition, a gas generated through cells in the chamber also increasesthe inner airpressure of the chamber. The increased air pressure acts onthe diaphragm to separate the both contact points from each other, sothat lights may be put out while in use or may not light when desired.Moreover, such a lighting device may light during preservation thereofdue to pressure difference between the inner pressure and the outerpressure of the sealed chamber.

Such a disadvantage may be resolved by always balancing the innerpressure with the outer pressure of the chamber, for example by forminga fine vent hole through the top of the swelled lens fixed to the top ofthe casing. Though little, the fine vent hole may allow the sea water toenter into the casing while the lighting device thrown and sunk to arelatively deep point of the sea is refloated. The entered water stayson the surface of the diaphragm while the lighting device is floatingand may push down the diaphragm to separate the both contact points fromeach other, resulting in bad affection to accurate operation oflighting.

An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic lightingdevice of easy construction and of accurate operation wherein 'ventholes are provided to 3,559,224 Patented Feb. 2., 1971 always balancethe inner pressure of the casing with the outer pressure thereof toprevent any water from entering into the casing.

For a better understanding of the invention, as well as further objectsand features thereof, reference is made to the following detaileddescription to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,wherein like figures are represented by like reference numerals.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view showing, in partial section, a lightingdevice according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation view of a top portion of a casingin FIG. 1, showing an elongated band permeable by gas but impervious towater covering over vent holes,

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view showing the completed state of airpressure balance means in FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side section of a top portion of a casingaccording to a second embodiment, showing the state prior to itsassembly,

FIG. 5 is a side section showing the completed state of air pressurebalance means in FIG. 4, and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the annular body permeable by gas butimpervious to water in FIG. 4.

My lighting device consists in one form essentially of a casing 10having a swelled lens 11 at the top and openings 12 at the bottomportion thereof, air pressure balancing means 20 provided at the uppercircumferential portion of the casing 10, the means being impervious towater, an elastic diaphragm 30 fixed airtightly within the casing 10near the openings 12, and bulb lighting means 40 including a movablecontact point 45 and a fixed contact point 46 which are mounted withinthe casing 10 at the opposite side of the openings 12 relative to thediaphragm 30.

According to this embodiment, the casing 10 has a frustoconical bodyportion 13. Upon the top end of the body portion 13, there are placed inturn a bulb fixing plate 14, a packing 15 and a lens 11 fitting areflecting cap 16 therein, and these are fixed in position by a lensholder 18. At the bottom end of the body 13, there is screwed a metalcap 19 which serves as a weight. The openings 12 are formed on the sidewall of the cap 19 and the diaphragm 30 is fixed to a predeterminedposition inside of the cap 19. A push button 56 is urged outwardly by aplate spring 54 so that a head portion of the button may be exposedthrough a central hole 57 of the cap 19, the plate spring 54 with holes55 being superimposed upon the surface of the diaphragm 30 at the sideof the openings 12.

Air pressure balancing means 20 impervious to water comprises aplurality of vent holes 21 formed around the upper circumferentialportion of the body 13 and a thin band 22 adhered in annular shape tocover the vent holes 21. The thin band 22 is made of a materialpermeable by air or gas but impervious to water, such as a tannedleather or a synthetic resin like polyethylene.

Lighting means 40 are constructed as described hereinafter. A bulb 41 isfixed into a central hole 17 of the reflecting cap 16 at a bulb basethereof and is prevented from falling out by a holder 42. A conductivewire 43 connected to the holder 42 at one end thereof is connected atthe other end thereof to an elongated, L-shaped metal plate 44 through ahole 51 of the bulb fixing plate 14, the metal plate 44 being fixed tothe inner surface of the body 13 and forming the movable contact point45 at the free end thereof. The free end is elastic to be movable alongthe lengthwise direction of the casing 10.

The fixed contact point 46 is tightly fitted in a receiving member 53within the cap 19 and is opposite to the movable contact point 45. Thefixed contact point 46 is also tightly fitted to one open end of aplastic cylindrical tube 47, which inner diameter is almost the same asthe outer diameter of a dry cell. The other end of the tube 47 isremovably fitted to the bulb fixing plate 14.

After removal of the bulb fixing plate 14, a plurality of dry cells 40is inserted into the tube 47 in turn so as to be in series. A negativeterminal of the dry cell at the bottom is electrically connected to thefixed contact point 46 through an inwardly curved plate spring 48, whilethe positive terminal of the dry cell at the top is electricallyconnected to the bulb 41 through a helical spring 49.

An air chamber 50 is formed between the body 13 and the tube 52 to begradually increased in space as it comes toward the lens 17.

Normally the parts are in the positions shown in full lines in FIG. 1,whereby an electric circuit formed through, in turn, the movable contactpoint 45, the conductive wire 43, the bulb holder 42, the bulb 41, thehelical spring 49, the dry cells 40, the plate spring 48, and the fixedcontact point 46 is opened and, therefore, the bulb 41 is not lighted.

When the lighting device is thrown into water, it is sunk by kineticenergy thereof to a certain depth, but soon refloated due to buoyancy ofthe air chamber 50, directing the lens 11 to the top and the metal capto the bottom to form substantially an upright posture. The lightingdevice then comes up to the surface of the water and keeps floating,revealing the lens 11 and the thin band 22, which band is permeable bygas but impervious to water, above the surface of the water.

At the same time, the diaphragm 30 is pushed up by water entered throughthe openings 12 of the cap 19 and the holes 55 of the plate spring 54,so that the movable contact point 45 comes into contact with theopposite fixed contact point 46. The contact between them is maintainedwhile the lighting device floats in the Water as the diaphragm 30 withinthe cap 19 in the water receives the hydraulic pressure, thereby thebulb is kept lighting, The light of the bulb shines in wide anglesthrough the lens 11 by efiect of the reflecting cap 16 and the lens 11.

When the air in the air chamber 50 is expanded due to heat caused bylighting for long periods, the air is released to the outside of the airchamber through the vent holes 21 and the band 22 which is permeable bygas but impervious to water, so that the diaphragm 30 does not receive aspecial force enough to push down the diaphragm. Further, as the airpressure in the air chamber 50 is balanced with that of the outside ofthe chamber while preservation of the lighting device, the diaphragm 30also does not receive the special force enough to push down thediaphragm.

While the lighting device thrown into a certain deep point of the searefloats up to the surface of the sea and while the lighting devicefloats in the waves, the water is prevented from entering through thevent holes 21 as the band 22 is of material impervious to water.

The push button 56 serves to examine the degree of consumption of thedry cells while not in use or to give an optical signal such as marinesignal or Morse signal.

Referring to a second embodiment shown in FIGS. 4, and 6, an annularmember 60 made of a material permeable by air but impervious to waterand constituting 21 and the band 22 in the first embodiment. The annularmember 60 has annular shoulder portions 61 and 62 at both sides thereofand the annular shoulder portions are fixed to annular grooves 63 and 64provided inside of the body 13 by a watertight binding agent to beintegral with each other.

Various changes in the size and shape of the different parts, as well asmodifications and alternations, may be made Within the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A lighting device comprising a casing having a swelled lens at thetop and openings at the bottom portion thereof, air pressure balancingmeans provided at the upper circumferential portion of the casing tobalance gas pressure in said casing with atmospheric pressure, saidmeans being permeable by gas but impervious to water, an elasticdiaphragm fixed airtightly within the casing near the openings and incommunication (with said air pressure balancing means, and a bulblighting means having dry cells as an electric power, said bulb lightingmeans including a fixed contact point and a movable contact pointopposite to said fixed contact point, said movable contact point beingmoved toward the fixed contact point by said diaphragm as the diaphragmis pushed by water entered through said openings.

2. A lighting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said air pressurebalancing means comprises a plurality of vent holes formed on the uppercircumferential portion of the casing and an annular band covering oversaid vent holes, said band being made of a material permeable by gas butimpervious to water.

3. A lighting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said air pressurebalancing means is an annular member constituting a part of said casingand made of a material permeable by gas but impervious to water.

4. A lighting device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a holeformed at the center bottom of the casing, a push button partiallyprojected through said hole and opposed to said diaphragm, and a platespring provided between said bottom hole and said diaphragm and urgingsaid push button to the hole, said plate spring having holes to allowwater to come to the diaphragm, thereby the movable contact point comesinto contact with the fixed contact point by pushing the push buttonfrom the outside of the casing toward the diaphragm.

5. A lighting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said casingcomprises a frusto-conical body portion increased in diameter toward thetop portion thereof and a metal cap screwed to the lower end of saidbody portion, said metal cap serving as a weight to make the lightingdevice float uprightly.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,088,201 7/ 1937 Goertzen 98.3(E)X 2,381,520 8/ 1945 Saunders 9-8.3 (E) FOREIGN PATENTS 406,126 1/1910France 98.3 (E) GEORGE E. A. HALVOSA, Primary Examiner G. OCONNOR,Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

